[2.] Because all the great opposition against faith is from thence,
(1.) There is great opposition against the working of faith in the soul. Mark a few places, and you will easily perceive it : 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the image of God, should shine upon them.' Satan casteth a veil of carnal prejudices upon the heart, so as natural men cannot see the beauty and glory of the gospel. There are blind minds, dark hearts, corrupt principles, and carnal prejudices and fleshly conceits ; so that they scorn the truth, rather than receive it in the love of it : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' The natural man receiveth not the things of God,' Full vessels can receive no more water : you cannot pour in the gospel to such vessels as are full of sin, and flesh, and folly ; they scorn it, and dash it over. There are sly pretences and crafty excuses ; these are in the understanding and the spirit, and therefore, Heb. iv. 12, the word is said to ' divide between soul and spirit ;' that is, be- tween vile affections and crafty pretences. There is the pretence of inability and unvvorthiness ; we cannot come, and we are unfit to come. Now the light of the gospel showeth what is inability, and what is laziness ; w4mt is pride, and what unworthiness. The word dis- covereth all the collusions and jugglings of the spirit, so that we shall not easily excuse duty by affecting inventions to befriend affections, and so to beguile ourselves in these vain pleas and excuses. From all this are those secret persuasions and lying counsels concerning the goodness of our estate, the happiness of worldly comforts and pleasures, the hardships of the gospel, which hinder the soul from coming freely to Jesus Christ. Thus, you see, in the understanding is the great let to the begetting of faith.
424 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LI 1 1. 11.
(2.) So likewise against the acting of faith, carnal counsels, false sug- gestions, corrupt reasonings in the spirit ; and, therefore, the apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. x. 5, of ' casting down imaginations, and every high thought that cxalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring- ing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.' These reasonings and thoughts are tlie things that are against the knowledge of God and the obedience of Jesus Christ. What is the reason men are upon such uncertainty, and terms of perplexity between Christ and themselves ? It is through some false reasonings. We think Christ will not accept of us, or that we may do well enough without him. Now, this I take for a rule, that graces are seated in those faculties where there is most opposition against them ; and there must be something in faith to sanctify the understanding, where it meetethwith such corrupt thoughts, carnal reasonings, dangerous persuasions, and crafty pretences.
(3.) Because this is the main difference betwixt faith and presump- tion. Faith is a child of light, and presumption a child of darkness : the more ignorant, the more presuming. Deceits are best carried on in the dark : groundless conceits cannot endure the light ; truf faith always goeth upon sure grounds from the word, not upon every vain sur- mise : iiora. X. 14, ' How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? ' Faith is according as we have heard out of the word. 1 Peter iii. 15, we are to ' give a reason of the hope that is in us.' Faith is rational, though we cannot always give a reason of the thing be- lieved. Mysteries surpass reason, yet we must see a reason wiiy we believe. Cant, v. 9, the spouse being asked, ' What is her beloved more than another beloved?' she gives an account of the special excel- lences in Christ that engaged her affections : ' My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.' Presumption only taketh up the name of Christ, and talketh of him by rote and hearsay ; but there is not a distinct knowledge and apprehension of his excellences; they do not know any special grounds for their belief. Custom and common illumination furnish the tongue with good words. But they do not, 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' with open face behold the glory of the Lord ; ' that is, most nearly examine and consider the glorious beauties of the Lord Christ.
(4.) To explicate the point a little more thoroughly, you will be ready to ask me what kind of knowledge this is ? That is very neces- sary to be cleared. Of all things men will stand upon their knowledge ; they will sooner own a fault in their morals, than a weakness in their intellectuals : John ix. 40, ' Are we blind also y ' What 1 thinking men and speaking men, men of study and parts ? If there be but any superficial apprehensions and flashy irradiations, then men are quiet ; there is a notional light, and there is a spiritual light ; and there are also common works and common knowledge ; and there are ra ixofieva T779 cr(0T7]pLa<;, 'Things that do accompany salvation,' Heb. vi. 4, 5, com- pared with ver. 9. Every knowledge tlien is not the knowledge of faith ; wild plants and garden plants iiave the same name and common nature, though they differ much in their virtues and operations. So it is here ; tliere is a great deal of difference in the workings and influ- ence of this knowledge. Let us a little reflect upon the differences and properties of true knowledge, which arc these : —